No idea why I should be shocked. Those two are thick as thieves.
Which makes it all the more strange when they finally break apart, and Nate says, “West isn’t coming.”
“What? Of course he is.” Sydney grabs West’s arm. “Right? You need to get out of that toxic place, West.”
He shakes his head, his face stony. “I can’t leave Grandpa. He’s sick, and my sis, well... She’s a danger to herself. I can’t just leave, Syd.”
“No.” She shakes her head, eyes large and wet. “Please.”
“I’ll be here. I can meet you at school and wherever you are. Kash.” He turns to me and for a moment his face seems about to crumble, but he clenches his jaw and grits his teeth. “Take them, keep them safe. And let me know where you are as soon as you can.”
“West…” Sydney walks into his arms, and he holds her tightly. “I can’t leave you here.”
“Yes, you can.” He extricates himself from her, roughly, and I bet he’s hanging on to the last threads of his control. “I’ll see you around. Don’t be a stranger.”
“Okay.” Her tears run freely, dripping down her cheeks. “Take care.”
And we’re off, making our way into the night.
Book II
Later
Nine months later
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
J.R.R Tolkien, Lord of the rings
Chapter Twenty-One
Sydney
“Honey, I’m home!” Nate tosses the keys into the bowl by the door and saunters into our apartment. “Come out, come out, wherever you are, or I’ll bring in friends to party!”
I smile at him from my perch on our ratty sofa, flipping my math book shut. “Hey, you. How was your day?”
“All better now,” he says, and warmth fills his whiskey-colored eyes.
I used to get up and go kiss his cheek, but he’s flinched away so many times, I stopped. Since we ran away, he’s relaxed a lot, but he still gets tense when I’m close.
Maybe if you keep kissing his cheek, he’ll come to expect it, a tiny hopeful voice whispers in the back of my mind. Maybe he’ll come to like it. Want it.
Want you.
But I’ve given up on Nate wanting me. Having him as my friend will have to be enough. Eventually. I thought about asking him why he hates my touch so much, but I can’t. I’m not sure I’m ready to find out.
Not when his every look and word feel both like a caress and a cut through me.
“Earth to Sydney. What’s for dinner?”
I blink. “Um. Kash said something about leftovers from the restaurant.”
“Awesomesauce.”
“He said George insists he needs to eat more.”
“I totally agree. We all need more Greek food in our lives.” I grin and follow him into the kitchen where he rummages in the fridge, pulling out packages of food. “Man, if I was into guys, I’d marry dear old George.”